Category: Performance Shows

Tonight the A team got up to sing for their lives. These ladies are all stars, but tonight I didn't feel any all-star performances. Emotion? Yes. Vocals? Yes. But none of them made me pick up my remote and rewind (except for maybe when Randy gave himself kudos, because really, there are no words.)

My biggest problem with many of the performances tonight were the arrangements. I know top three week is probably all a little last minute–after spending two days at the hometown visits, they have to come back and learn three songs in three days. Since none of the songs were chosen by the contestants themselves, it is difficult to forge a personal connection, and that was pretty evident.

Kree seemed the most disconnected from tonight's performances. I liked her on the upbeat The Band Perry song, which was my favorite of the Kree Three (ha, I crack myself up), but even with that one, I think she holds back her emotion a little too much. She has her guard up. She has had a tough life, and has an enormous amount of life experience to tap into, but she needs to attend the Fantasia school of emotional performances to connect her real life with the stage. Overall she was the weakest of the night.

Candice's vocals are master. effing. class. I mean, she has never ever hit a bum note. And even when her runs aren't up to her perfectionist standards, she is still amazing. My biggest problem with Candice tonight were all of the bombastic production arrangements–totally unnecessary and quite honestly, unoriginal. It makes me sad to see that this is what the idol production puts together when left to their own devices.

For Angie, this was one of her best nights overall. Her growth as an artist is undeniable–she has lost *almost* all of the pageant-y-ness about her and while I didn't love all of her vocal choices and song arrangements, at least I believed her.

I'm pretty sure it will be Candice and Angie in the finals, and Angie will take home the crown (even though next week I will probably be voting my fingers of for Candice…she along with Jessica Sanchez are the two best vocalists this show has seen in years.)

So, who did you like tonight? Who is heading home tomorrow? And really, can't we just vote Randy off instead?

Is it already the top four? Sounds like they have to have a few non-elimination rounds because how are we really going to stretch this out another month? Tonight we get a triple dose of each contestant–Two solos and a duet. These are all strong ladies and any one of them could conceivably win.

Here’s how it went down:

1. Amber holcomb

Power of Love by Celine Dion

Wow, those vocals! How flawless was that? She does have emoting issues, though…did I feel connected to her through the tv? no. But I was kind of too focused on her amazeballs vocals to even care. One word: Fab.

RATING:

2. Candice Glover

Find Your Love by Drake

Love that she chose something current! I also love the arrangement, but the whole thing was a little slow…and dare I say…boring.

I am still recovering from watching the last performance on repeat. Really, because I could have just watched two hours of that. Oh Candice, you pull a schooling out of your back pocket and show everyone why you came to win. (Mariah also pulled glitter out of her back pocket. Does she travel with handfuls of glitter? Just wondering.) In the words of Ms. Minaj, #werk.

And then, at the complete other end of the spectrum, there was Lazaro. Oh boy. In the words of Peter Griffin, “That happened. And we let it happen.” You know Nigel loves putting out a good sob story (Danny Gokey, exhibit, A). And it has clearly run away with itself, per usual. I called this from top 20 night, and the situation has deteriorated. Dude is clearly the worst, and what's worse is he will not go home tomorrow.

Now that we've touched on the best and worst of the top six, lets talk about the mid-field contestants. Kree is solid second place for me. Her vocals are consistently effortless, but she just lacks an edge of emotion on stage.

I put Amber in third place. Her vocals are flawless, too, although tonight her second performance was a bit shaky. She is very commercial, but lacks an emotional connection many times, as well.

In fourth place is Angie–the inconsistency ranks her below the rest. When she's up, she's up. When she's down, well, it's pretty bad. I don't think her vibe and the theme weeks get along well and she has song choice issues.

Finally, in an unfortunate fifth place is Janelle. It was obvious she was the weakest girl heading into the top ten–I still think Aubrey deserved that spot. And although Janelle has managed to have several outstanding performances, I'm not sure that has shifted her spot in the pack.

Unfortunately, because of America's obsession with Lazaro, I think Janelle will go home tomorrow. They may decide to use the save on her, but I also wouldn't be surprised if they saved the save for next week when one of the other four will inevitably get booted before Lazaro.

As always i *plan* to put up my full review up in the AM, but you know, day job priorities and such have been preventing that from happening the last few weeks.

Let me know what you thought about tonight's performances! Candice on repeat! Candice on repeat!

Oh Nigel! Your futile attempts to quell the long-time idol watcher with never-before-done theme weeks is cute and all. I appreciate you trying to change it up. But for the sake of the integrity of the entire Rock and Roll genre, please never require Lazaro to sing Rock music ever again.

The thing about this idol season is there is no surprise. I could have written the review yesterday. Or just used the review i wrote last week and never posted because i am a lazy blogger. Candice and Kree were great! Amber and her legs were great! Lazaro was train wreckage. This lack of interest sort of makes me long for the days of crazy Sanjaya hair styles–at least I wondered what the hell he would do!

While I will post my full review tomorrow (I promise i will this week!) I will just say that Lazaro better be exiting stage left tomorrow. If Lazaro outlasts Burnell it will be a tragedy, and if one of the girls gets voted out, they will use the save. It is Lazaro's time–go out on a performance that is at least not your worst (It could only go up after last week!)

So, what did you think? Will Kree or Candice actually win this thing? Were you impressed by any of the performances this week? Let me know in the comments!

Detroit Rock City tribute tonight. I was personally a bit disappointed to get no Eminem or Kid Rock, but I will take a Motown night anytime. It invokes memories of Idol seasons of yore. (Oh Kelly, it has been so long!)

It was another night of the girls killing the boys, and if there is any justice left in the idolverse, Miss Amber Holcomb will live to see another week, and either Burnell and his tighty whitey suit or Lazaro and his poor enunciation will be hitting the road. And though Devin may be increasingly boring me, his vocal chops earn him at least one more week.

Angie was off her game tonight, but will hopefully get back on track next week. But the other ladies? All killed it. I was especially impressed with Janelle–her arrangement was fantastic. Stay tuned for my full recap in the morning, but in the meantime, what did you think? Who will get the boot tomorrow? And shall we hope for an Eminem group ditty? (I kid, I kid.)

Burnell has never heard Let It Be? (Crazy!) Candice attempts to find deeper meaning in ju-ju eyeballs? (Spoiler: Unsuccessful.) The girls outsing the boys? (Obvs.) All in a night’s work on Idol Beatles week. Here’s how it went down:

1. Kree Harrison

A Little Help From My Friends

Loving this song for her! I hoped for a little more crazy on those big solo notes (a la Joe Cocker), but it was arranged well, the tempo was great for her, and per usual, her vocal was right on the money.

RATING:

2. Burnell Taylor

Let It Be

Like, who over the age of five does not know this song? It was a competent vocal, but I felt no emotion from the performance.

Let’s go over how refreshing it is to have a ONE! HOUR! PERFORMANCE! SHOW! I hardly know what to do with my evening! (Perhaps call my Dad for his birthday…Happy Birthday, Dad!) Hopefully there will be some memorable and fantastic performances coming up.

1. JESSICA SANCHEZ

I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston

Very pretty, solid performance. Poor girl had to tackle those stairs clad in her stilettos twice – once in the intro, and once in the song. Kind of cruel, huh? She did seem a bit nervous, and I wasn’t feeling any heart in this performance. Here’s hoping things look up the next two rounds.

RATING:

2. PHILLIP PHILLIPS

Stand By Me by Ben E. King

Proficient, but not anywhere near epic. He needed something bigger and badder than this. At least we learned that Simon Fuller sucks at song picking.